Reversing mechanism for oil-burning engines



Dec. 15, 1925 1.565245 A. A. ASPLUND 4 REVERSING MECHANISM FOR OIL BURNING ENGINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dfiu A. A. ASPLUND REVERSING MECHANISM FOR OIL BURNING ENGINES Filed Feb. 17, 1920 3 Sheets-Shegt 2 am, rne ys Dec. 15,1925. 1.565.245

- A. -A. ASPLUND REVBRSINQ MECHANISM FOR OIL BURNING ENGINES Filed Feb. 17, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Axel A. Asplwzd A TTORNEYS flaw WW,

INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

AXEL AUGUST ASPLUND, OF AUBURN, NEVJ' YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD '1. FEN- WICK, OF FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA.

REVERSING MECHANISM FOR OIL-BURNING ENGINES.

Application filed February 1?, 1920.

Y '0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AXEL A. AsPLUNn, citizen of the United States, residing at Auburn, in the county of Cayuga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reversing Mechanism for Oil-Burning Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and especially to a reversing mechanism for engines of the, Diesel type. This application is one of a series of applications simultaneously filed and bearing the Serial Numbers 859,410; 359,411; 2359, 112; 359,413; 85931- 1 and 359,416 to which reference is hereby made. In engines of the Diesel type to which the present invention particularly adapted it is customary to provide in the head of each cylinder a plurality oi valves for the supply of fuel, for injection air for the exhaust, for atmospheric air and for starting air and cams are provided in duplicate for each valve, one set of said cams being adapted to operate the valves in the proper order to drive the engine ahead while the other set oi cams is adapted to operate the valves to drive the engine astern.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for lifting the valve levers from the cams preliminary to shifting the cams.

A further object 01 this invention is to provide means for operating the starting air valves at the proper time to relieve the pressure in the cylinders, and a still further object of. the invention is to provide an operating mechanism by which the valve levers can be lifted, the cams shifted and the starting air valves operated to relieve the pressure all in the proper order in sequence and in a predetermined order.

In engines of this type it is further cus tomary to provide means for regulating the stroke of the fuel pumps, to provide means for regulating the fuel and injection air valves and to provide valves for controlling the amounts of starting air and injection air provided to the engine. In applicant's co-pending applications improved Serial No. 359,415.

means for accomplishing above purposes are fully described together with a novel common operating means adapted to coordinate these various devices in their proper sequence and order. An interlocking mechanism for controlling the common operating means which is the subject matter of the present application and the common operating means for the various valves and sub-structures covered in said co-pending cases is also fully described in one of said cases to-wit, No. 359,412, and it is a further object of this invention to utilize such a locking mechanism in conjunction with the combinations set forth herein.

Other objects will appear and be more fully described in connection with the detailed description of the invention which follows.

with these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, the combinations, the details and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Three sheets of drawings accompany this specification as part thereof, in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine partly diagrammatic and showing the application of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section partly in elevation at substantially the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, many parts being omitted and others broken away for clearness and illustration Figure 3 is a diagran'nnatic View showing the positions of disc 19 in the various operative positions of the engine;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view or the movements of the cam lever shaft;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view oi part of the starting air valve; '7

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of lever 6 showing its strueure and relation to rotor 3;

Figures 7, 8 and 9; 10, 11 and 12; 13, 14 and 15; and 16, 17 and 18 should be considered in groups as indicated and illustrate diagrammatically the relative positions of the eccentrics controlling the valve levers and the relation of the valve lever rollers to the cams with rega "d to the posi tions of said eccentrics. Thus, Figure '7 illust-rates the position of the eccentric controlling the starting air valve in the starting position of the engine in relation to the valve lever roller on the cam. Figure 8 illustrates the position of the eccentrics controlling the exhaust, fuel and injection air in the starting position, and Figure 9 iillustrates the position of the lever controlling the lever shaft in the starting position of the engine.

Figure 10 illustrates the position of the eccentric controlling the starting air valve in its relation to the valve lever roller and the aim in the working position of the engine showing the valve lever roller clearing the cam. Figure 11 shows the position of the eccentric controlling the exhaust, fuel and injection air in the working position of the engine and Figure 12 shows the position of lever 22 in the working position.

Figure 13 illustrates the position of the eccentric controlling the starting air valve in the so-called maneuvering position during which the cams are shifted in relation to the lever roller and cam, further illustrates the operation of the mechanism for opening the in the cylinder and shows details of the construction of the starting air valve. Figure ll illustrates the position of the eccentric controlling the exhaust, fuel and injection air in the maneuvering position, and Figure 15 illustrates the position of lever 22 in maneuvering position.

Figures 16, 17 and 1S similarly illustrate the position of the eccentric in the starting position representing the completion of the cycle of operation. Figure 16 further illustrates the operation of the valve lever flexing device by means of which, as illustrated, although the valve lever roller is in engagement with the cam hump, the starting valve will remain closed providing there is a pressure in the cylinder in excess of that of the starting air as is here assumed.

In accordance with the present invention a cam shaft 9 driven from the engine shaft by any suitable gearing (not described herein) extends longitudinally of the. engine and is provided with cams in pairs adapted to operate the valve rollers It, one cam of each pair being so disposed as to operate its valve for driving the engine ahead while the other member of the pair is adapted to drive the engine astern. Collars 8 are provided upon cam shaft 9 bet-ween which ride arms 36 of a cam shaft shifting lever 6 suitably pivoted as at 7. This lever 6 ex tends downwardly below pivot 7 and is provided on its lower end with a stirrup shaped structure comprising two oppositely disposed inwardly facing arcuate cam faces 6, separated by a notch or space c. These circular cam faces b are struck with the same radius but with centers so starting air valve to relieve the pressure.

spaced that a double faced cam lever a pivotally mounted between said faces normally engages both of said cam faces b7) and in passing from the horizontal position through 180 rides upon one cam face I) freely without operating lever (3, the matter of 7 1- and until it engages the opposed cam face I), whereupon lever 6 is swung until the center of the second cam face 7) coincides with that of cam lever 01, a matter of 32 whereupon cam lever a rides freely upon the second cam face b until it again reaches a horizontal position a further 7-1- It is thus apparent that from this structure of lever (S and cam lover a the latter can he moved from a horizontal position on one side through 180 to a horizontal position on the other side with its opposed faces constantly in looking engagement with the cam faces of lever 6 and that further during the first 7& of said rotation cam lever 6 is inoperative; during the next 32 cam lever (3 is swung on its pivot 7 and during the. following 74 lever 6 is again inoperative. It will be further apparent that in the reverse movement of cam lever a substantially the same operations will be repeated, lever (3 being inoperative during the first 74; operative during the next 32 and again inoperative during the last 74.

Cam lever a is fixedly mounted. upon shaft 15 upon which is also mounted a beveled gear 16 which co-meshcs with a beveled gear 17 mounted upon a shaft 18 which inclines backwardly and upwardly transversely of the engine. The gears 16 and 17 preferably co-me'sh in a ratio of 2 to 1 so that when shaft 15 is rotated to. move the cam lever a from its horizontal position on one side to its horizontal position on the other side or 180 degrees shaft 18 will be rotated 360 degrees. Aflixed to the rear of shaft 18 is a disc 19 to which a rod 21 is pivoted as at 20 which rod 21 is in turn pivotally connected to a lever 22 fixedly secured to a val ve lever shaft 23 which extends over the heads of all the cylinders and upon which are fixedly secured a plurality of eccentrics 25 and 27, eccentrics 25 being provided to operate the starting air valve levers 26 while the eccentrics 27 are adapted to control the exhaust, fuel and injection air valve levers (not shown). The detailed structure of these valve levers is fully set forth in my co-pending ilPPllCZltdOll, Serial No. 359,410, with the exception of certain details of the starting air valve lever essential to the present case. The starting air valve lever comprises two principal parts, a member 2 rprovided with a suitably large aperture to ride freely on shaft 23 and having a backward extension 2' adapted to extend over the stem of the starting air valve and under a roller J1: rotatably mounted on the valve structure. The upper face of the part i is provided with a hardened plate j having a cam face 42. Mounted within a suitable slot in member 24 and upon eccentric on lever shaft 23 is a second member 26 which in turn carries a roller R adapted to engage cams 35. The member 26 is as illustrated narrower than the slot in member 2-2 and near its outer end is pivoted to member 24L by a screw or pin 28. It is further provided with a bolt p which extends upwardly through a hole in member 24 sufficiently large to provide ample clearance and which compresses a spring Z which is of suitable strength to exert a pressure tending to hold the upper face of member 26 against the upper face of the slot in member 24 with a pressure substantially equivalent to that of the starting air.

Reverting now to lever 22 which as previously indicated is fixedly secured to lever shaft 23 upon which are mounted eccentrics 25-27 and referring to Figures 3 and 4, it will be noted that a complete revolution of disc 19 which corresponds to a movement of cam lever a from a horizontal position upon one side to a horizontal position upon the other side of its pivot, lever 22 will rotate shaft 23, 108 degrees upwardly and 108 degrees back to the original starting position and that upon the reversal of the operation a rotation of shaft 15 and cam lever a 180 degrees will again cause a complete rotation of disc 19 and a rotation of lever shaft 23 upwardly 108 degrees and back again to the original starting position.

Upon shaft 15 in addition to cam lever a and gear 16 is fixedly secured a rotor 3 and a gear 5. The gear 5 co-meshes with a gear 1. which is fixedly secured to a stub shaft upon which is mounted a hand wheel 2. Preferably gears 4t and 5 co-mesh in a ratio of 4 to 1 so that the rotation of hand wheel 2 through two revolutions in either direction will rotate shaft 15 130 degrees. Rotor 3 is provided with an annular rim having diametrically opposed slots 13 which slots 13 are adapted when in a suitable position to receive a rod 13 pivotally mounted upon a starting lever and guided by rollers 13".

Starting lever 30 is connected with means for regulating valves such as indicated at 34: for controlling injection air and S controlling starting air and also controls by mechanism (not shown) the lift of the fuel inlet valves and the stroke of the fuel pumps. The details of the structure by means of which this starting lever 30 controls these various functions is fully disclosed and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 359,414. For the purposes of the present application it is sufficient to state that starting lever 30 in its right hand position as illustrated in Figure 1 has suitably operated these various mechanisms to close the injection air supply, to close the relay starting valve S, to restrict the fuel pumps to their minimum stroke and the fuel valves to their minimum lift. Starting lever 30 being swung from its right hand position as illustrated 43 degrees to the left operates to gradually increase the lift of the fuel valves, to increase the stroke of the pumps and to gradually open the injection air valve 34- so that at its 43 degree position the injection air valve is fullyopen, the relay starting valve is still closed, the fuel pumps have reached their maximum stroke and the fuel valves have reached their maximum lift. From this 43 degree position to its full left hand position or 53 degrees, the injection air valve 3% is completely open, the relay starting valve is opening from zero to its full opening, the fuel pumps are operating throughout at full stroke and the fuel valves are operating throughout at their greatest lift.

By reason of the structure of rotor 3 and locking rod 13 starting lever 30 cannot be moved from its right hand position as illustrated in Figure 1 except when the slots 13 in rotor 3 are on their horizontal position. These slots 13' are so proportioned with respect to rod 13 that during a rotation of rotor 3 of 27 degrees from the horizontal, starting lever 30 can be swung to the left, locking rod 13 having free access through slot 13. It will also be apparent that where starting lever 30 has been swung to the left rod 13 entering slot 13, rotor 3 can only be moved through this 27 degrees so that by this arrangement an automatic safety interlocking device is provided, the details of which are more fully set forth and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 359,412, by means of which starting lever 30 and rotor 3 can respec tively be operated only in predetermined positions with relation to each other.

For simplicity in further description the position of rotor with the slots 13 in their horizontal position which corresponds to a horizontal position also for cam lever a will be designated the starting position. The position of rotor 3 when it has been rotated to raise slot 13 27 degrees which is the limit of its rotation after any movement of starting lever 30, from its right hand position, will be designated the working position of the engine and the position of rotor 3 when it has been rotated 7 degrees (starting lever 30 having been withdrawn to the right to withdraw locking bar 13 from slot 3) and in which position of rotor 3 cam lever a commences the swinging of cam shaft shifter lever 6 will be designated the maneuvering position.

Referring now to the third sheet of drawings and to Fflrures T to 18 inclusive :as indicated in Figure T eccentrics which control the starting air valve 26 are so mounted relative to lever shaft 23 that in the starting position of the engine, herewith illustrated, the maximum throw of this cccentric is to the right and on the horizontal line. As indicated in Figure 8 the eccen tries 27 controlling the fuel, air and exhaust valves has its maximum throw downward and 12 degrees to the left of the vertical, while the lever 22 controlling lever shaft 23 is as illustrated in Figure E) in its lowermost position or 31- degrees below the horizontal. In this starting position roller it, as illus trated in Figure '7, is in engagement vith the cam 35 and in position to be operated thereby. Referring now to the group of Figures 10, 11 and 12 which illustrate the positions ol these eccentrics and lever shalt control lever 22 in the so-called working position which as will be recalled, corresponds to a movement oi rotor 23 and cam lover a through 27 degrees, it will be noted that the am lever shatt 22-3 has been rotated by lever 22, 2-1- degrees (see Fig. which rotation of shaft 23 will have raised the maximum throw ot' eccentric 2adegrces from its horizontal position and will have swung eccentric 27 from 12 degrees to the left to 1.2 degrees to the right otthe vertical. From this situation it will be apparent that eccentric 25 will have operated to raise the pivot of starting air valve lever a dis tance which is so proportioned relative to its length that roller R will have been raised entirely clear of the cam 35 while on the other hand the pivots of the other valve levers controlled by eccentrics 27 will not have been raised at all. From this it will be obvious that in the working position of the engine when cam lever a has been raised 27 degrees from the horizontal and rotor at its highest possible position, assuming that locking rod 1 3 is in position within slot 13, the starting air valve lever 26 has been rendered inoperative through the elevation of its pivot by means of eccentric while on the other hand the valve levers tor the other valves controlled by eccentric 2? still continue in full operative contact with the cams.

The positions of the eccentrics illustrated in Figures 13 and ll are in their positions of maximum elevation and correspond to the maximum upward rotation of lever shaft 23 as illustrated in Figures 15 and l corresponding to the maneuvering position of the engine which it will be recalled, corresponds to a posi ion of cam lever a 7idegrees above the horizontal where it commences to swing lever 6 for shifting the cam shaft 9. Figure 13 illustrates that in this position the starting air valve lever has bee further elevated above cam 35, and from Figure l-l it will be noted that eccentric 27 has assumed the position with its maximum throw 6 degrees above the horizontal, in which position eccentric 2'? will have so elevated the pivots of the valve levers mounted thereon that their rollers R will also be fully clearing cams 35.

Referring now to Figures 2, 5 and 13 it will be noted that eccentric has in the maneuvering position illustrated in Figure 13, reached a position in which its maximum throw is 18 degrees to the left oi the vertical. This movement of eccentric 25 from the starting position to the maneuvering position will have thrown starting air valve lever 26 to the left carrying with it part 2-itogether with extension '11 thus drawing cam face a under roller 7.; and forcing valve stem downward to unseat valve seat 9 as indicated at 1', thus opening the starting air valve at the maneuvering position of the engine while the valve lovers are all raised out of engagement with the cam shaft and the cam shaft is being shifted so that the pressure in the cylinders is equalized by means of manifold pipe m which as illustrated, e2;- tends lengthwise oi the engine and intercommunicates with all of the starting air "elves and also by means of pipe C in which is inclined a check valve D with starting air valve S. From this structure of valve lever 24L with its projecting member 1;, cam taco a and roller l', it obvious that a very simple, positive mechanical provision is made for the relief of the, cylinder pressure by means of the starting air valves operating auto matically through the operation of eccentric 25 upon member 26 and in the proper sequence and order, such relief taking place at a period starting lever 30 must have been swung to its initial position to permit the rotation of rotor 3 by the withdrawal of locking rod 13.

In Figure 1G is illustrated the operation of the flexing device for the starting air valve lever in which it will be noted that although this figure illustrates the starting position of the engine corresponding to Fig ure 7 in which the roller it is in-ei'igagennmt with the cam and although the cam hump is shown in engagement with roller l-t, will be noted that the valve seat (1 is entirely seated by reason of the compression oi': spring Z caused by the lilting of member 24 by valve stem 9 which is ocasioncd by the pressure in the cylinder exceeding that predetermined tor the spring Z and which in practice is calculated as that of the starting air.

lVhat I claim is:

1. in an internal combustion engine having a plurality of am operated valves each having a cam lever, and a cam shalt carrying a plurality of cams in duplicate for operating said valve levers and valves, one set for operating the engine ahead and one set for operating the engine astern, a reversing mechanism comprising in combination a cam shaft shifting mechanism, a valve lever lifting mechanism, a valve opening meclmnism and means for operating said cam shaft shifting mechanism, valve lever lifting mechanism and valve opening mechanism in a predetermined order.

In an internal combustion engine hav ing a plurality of cam op rated valves in duplicate each having a cam lever, a cam shaft carrying a plurality of cams in duplicate one set for operating the engine ahead and one set for operating the engine astern, and a starting lover; a reversing mechanism comprising in combination a cam shaft shifting lover, a valve lever lifting mechanism, a valve openin mechanisn'i, means for interlocking said reversal meehanisn'i with said starting lever and means for operating said cam shifting lever, valve lever lifting mechanism, valve opening mechanism and interlocking means all in a predetermined order.

3. A cam shaft shifting mechanism comprising a lever having one end provided with means for engaging a cam shaft, and its other end provided with opposed inwardly facing cam faces in combination with a double faced cam lever adapted to engage said opposed cam faces to constantly lock the same, and to operate said lever.

A cam shaft shifting mechanism comprising a lever having one end provided with means for engaging a cam shaft and its other end provided with oppositely disposed inwardly directed arcuate cam faces struck with equal radii, in combination with a cam lever pivoted between said arcuate cam faces having oppositely disposed cam faces spaced to engage said arcuate cam faces and one struck on a radius from its pivot equal to the common radius of said areuate cam faces.

5. lln an engine, a reversing mechanism comprising in combination, a cam shaft shifting lever having one end provided with means for engaging a cam shaft and its other end provided with opposed inwardly facing cam faces in association with a double faced cam lever adapted to engage said opposed cam faces to constantly lock the same and to operate said lever, a valve lever lifting mechanism, a valve opening mechanism and means for operating said cam shaft shifting lever, valve lever lifting mechanism and valve opening mechanism in a predetermined order.

6. A reversing mechanism comprising a cam shaft carrying a plurality of cams, a cam shaft shifting device, a lever shaft having an eccentric mounted thereon, a valve lever mounted 011 said eccentric and common means for operating said cam shaft shifting device and for rotating said lever shaft comprising a rotor operative of the cam shaft shifting device, a shaft, gearing connecting said shaft and rotor, a link and levers connecting said shaft and the lever shaft.

7. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination a cam shaft carrying a plu- 'ality of cams, a cam shaft shifting lever having one end provided with means for engaging the cam shaft and its other end provided with inwardly facing opposed cam faces, a double faced cam lever rotatably mounted between said cam faces so that its faces engage said cam faces to constantly lock and to operate said lever, said cam lever mounted on a shaft, a valve lever shaft having an eccentric mounted thereon, a valve lever mounted on said eccentric and common means for rotating said cam lever and said valve lever shaft.

8. A reversing mechanism comprising in combination a cam shaft carrying a plurality of cams, a cam shaft shifting lever having one end provided with means for engaging the cam shaft and its other end provided with inwardly facing opposed cam faces, a double faced cam lever rotatably mounted between said cam faces so that its faces engage said cam faces to constantly lock and to operate said lever, said cam lever mounted on a shaft, a valve lever shaft having an eccentric mounted thereon, a valve lever mounted 011 said eccentric and common means for rotating said cam lever and said valve lever shaft comprising an operating shaft, gears connecting said shaft with the shaft on which is mounted the cam lever, levers and links connecting said shaft with the valve lever shaft and means for rotating said operating shaft.

9. In an internal combustion engine, a reversing mechanism comprising in combination a cam shaft shifting mechanism, a valve lever lifting mechanism comprising a lever shaft, eccentrics mounted on said shaft, valve levers mounted on said eccentrics and operative means for rotating said lever shaft, a valve opening mechanism and means interconnected with lever shaft operative means for operating said cam shaft shifting mechanism, valve lever opening mechanism and valve lifting mechanism in a predetermined order and sequence.

10. An engine control mechanism comprising in combination a driving member, a driven member, means interconnecting the driving member and the driven member, means interconnecting the driven member and a cam shaft shifting mechanism and means interconnecting said driven member with a valve lever lifting mechanism and a valve opening mechanism, to operate said mechanisms in a predetermined order and sequence.

11. In an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, the combination of starting air valves for each cylinder,

a manifold communicating with each of said valves, a relay valve controlling the supply of starting air to the manifold and a check valve intermediate said relay valve and said manifold.

12. In an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, starting air.

valves for each cylinder, a manifold communicating With each of said valves, a relay valve controlling the supply of starting air to the manifold, and a check valve intermediate said relay valve and the manifold; the combination of means for operating said cylinder starting air valves from the engine shaft, means for operating said cylinder air valves independently of the engine shaft, means for controlling the relay valve, and means for co-ordinating the independent control of the cylinder air valves and the control of the relay valve.

13. In an internal combustion engine having a starting air cylinder valve and a cam lever for operating said valve, a cam shaft carrying duplicate cams adapted to operate the valve to supply air for driving the engine ahead or astern, a relay valve controlling the supply of starting air to the cylinder valve, a check valve intermediate the relay valve and the cylinder valve, means for lifting the cam lever and shifting the cams, means for opening the cylinder valve independently of the can 1s, means for controlling the relay valve and interlocking means coordinating said cam shaft shifting means, lever lifting means, independent valve opening means and relay valve control means.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

AXEL AUGUST ASPLUND. 

